• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.565-586
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• 1998

Like many other school subjects, terminology is a starting point of mathematical thinking, and plays a key role in mathematics learning. Among several areas in mathematics, geometry is the area in which students usually have the difficulty of learning, and the new terms are frequently appeared. This is why we started to investigate geometric terms first. The purpose of this study is to investigate geometric terminology in school mathematics. To do this, we traced the historical transition of geometric terminology from the first revised mathematics curriculum to the 7th revised one, and compared the geometric terminology of korean, english, Japanese, and North Korean. Based on this investigation, we could find and structuralize the following four issues. The first issue is that there are two different perspectives regarding the definitions of geometric terminology: inclusion perspective and partition perspective. For example, a trapezoid is usually defined in terms of inclusion perspective in asian countries while the definition of trapezoid in western countries are mostly based on partition perspective. This is also the case of the relation of congruent figures and similar figures. The second issue is that sometimes there are discrepancies between the definitions of geometric figures and what the name of geometric figures itself implies. For instance, a isosceles trapezoid itself means the trapezoid with congruent legs, however the definition of isosceles trapezoid is the trapezoid with two congruent angles. Thus the definition of the geometric figure and what the term of the geometric figure itself implies are not consistent. We also found this kind of discrepancy in triangle. The third issue is that geometric terms which borrow the name of things are not desirable. For example, Ma-Rum-Mo(rhombus) in Korean borrows the name from plants, and Sa-Da-Ri-Gol(trapezoid) in Korean implies the figure which resembles ladder. These terms have the chance of causing students' misconception. The fourth issue is that whether we should Koreanize geometric terminology or use Chinese expression. In fact, many geometric terms are made of Chinese characters. It's very hard for students to perceive the ideas existing in terms which are made of chines characters. In this sense, it is necessary to Koreanize geometric terms. However, Koreanized terms always work. Therefore, we should find the optimal point between Chines expression and Korean expression. In conclusion, when we name geometric figures, we should consider the ideas behind geometric figures. The names of geometric figures which can reveal the key ideas related to those geometric figures are the most desirable terms.

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.59 no.1
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• pp.63-80
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• 2020

This study analyzed 3,114 articles published in KCI journals and 1,636 articles published in SSCI journals from 2000 to 2019 in order to compare domestic and international research trends of mathematics education using a topic modeling method. Results indicated that there were 16 similar research topics in domestic and international mathematics education journals: algebra/algebraic thinking, fraction, function/representation, statistics, geometry, problem-solving, model/modeling, proof, achievement effect/difference, affective factor, preservice teacher, teaching practice, textbook/curriculum, task analysis, assessment, and theory. Also, there were 7 distinct research topics in domestic and international mathematics education journals. Topics such as affective/cognitive domain and research trends, mathematics concept, class activity, number/operation, creativity/STEAM, proportional reasoning, and college/technology were identified from the domestic journals, whereas discourse/interaction, professional development, identity/equity, child thinking, semiotics/embodied cognition, intervention effect, and design/technology were the topics identified from the international journals. The topic related to preservice teacher was the most frequently addressed topic in both domestic and international research. The topic related to in-service teachers' professional development was the second most popular topic in international research, whereas it was not identified in domestic research. Domestic research in mathematics education tended to pay attention to the topics concerned with the mathematical competency, but it focused more on problem-solving and creativity/STEAM than other mathematical competencies. Rather, international research highlighted the topic related to equity and social justice.

• Journal of the Korean School Mathematics Society
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.261-278
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to develop an assessment to diagnose difficulties in learning mathematics and misconstructions that elementary students have. With thorough theoretical background and analysis of mathematics curriculum documents, we established learning trajectories for the following content areas in grades 3 to 6: number and operation, regularity, data and chance, geometry, and measurement. Then, the research team created the assessment items targeting a specific stage in the learning trajectories and including item options to identify possible misconceptions. Based on the unified validity theory, we reported the detailed procedure of the assessment development and the evidence for the content, substance, and structural validity of the assessment. We collected the data of 675 elementary students. Rasch measurement modeling was applied, and Cronbach's alpha was estimated. We considered how to report students' assessment results to teachers appropriately and immediately, which suggested important implications for supporting teaching and learning mathematics in elementary schools. We also suggested how to use the assessment developed in this study in online and distance learning environments due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.223-241
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• 2014

The objective of this study was to plan a direction for the connection of the area of inquiry in daily life between infants and young children in Korea based on the analysis of the early learning standards for infants aged 0~2, and young children aged 3~4/5 in 17 different states in America. The problem of the study is as follows: What is the content area of cognitive development, science and mathematics of early learning standards regarding age? The data used in this study was collected from a total of 17 states in America in which 12 states classify infants and young children as aged 0~2 and 3~4/5 respectively and 5 states do not classify the age groups. The results obtained from the analysis of the given issues are as follows. First, in the case of the five states that showed the group aged 0~4/5, the contents related to the area of inquiry in daily life of the early learning standards were included in the mathematics and science and a part of these contents were also included in cognitive developments. In the case of the 12 states that classified the groups aged 0~2 and 3~4/5 respectively, the group aged 0~2 included cognitive developments and the group aged 3~4/5 includes mathematics and science. Second, the contents related to the area of inquiry in daily life of the early learning standards in the five states that showed the single group aged 0~4/5 include the contents in order of scientific idea, biology, physics, and the earth and space. In the 12 states that classify different age groups. Third, in the case of the states that separate age groups, the group aged 0~2 include the contents of number and operation, geometry and space while the group aged 3~4/5 include the contents of number and operations, geometry and space, and measurement. The implications of this study was that it is necessary to take into account the linking between development and characteristics of the subjects.